BBL Cup Final heading for sell-out showdown

Birmingham's National Indoor Arena (NIA), will be packed to the rafters this Sunday, 12 January, when the first prize of the BBL domestic season is claimed. Extra seating has had to be installed, as over 9,000 British Basketball fans head to Birmingham to see title holders Leicester Riders take on Newcastle Eagles.

Sullivan warmed up for the showpiece occasion with a double-double in last Saturday's Championship win over Sheffield Sharks (95-83). The 6'8 forward scored 14 points on 66% shooting and pulled down 14 rebounds.

In the NCAA, GB's Under-20 International Will Neighbour has seen his side Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans go to 3 and 0 in the Sun Belt Conference. First up for Neighbour were 20 points and 5 rebounds in the win at Texas State (63-59) on Jan 2nd.

The 6'10 senior then followed up two days later with a double-double in the 72-70 win at Texas-Arlington, netting 17 points with 10 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.

Neighbour faces more Conference action this Saturday, 11 January, when the Trojans hope to build on this positive start when they face another side from Alabama, Troy.

In Germany, Myles Hesson enjoyed a festive double header for his Giessen 46ers club against Nuremberg. Hesson posted good numbers in the home leg (Giessen winning 79-71) with 21 points including a perfect 8 from 8 from the line, as well as 8 rebounds and 2 assists.

It followed on from the 24 year-old forward's good form before Christmas as well, with 15 points at the same opponents with a 66% shooting percentage from the floor. In his last five games, Hesson has added double digit points and is averaging 7.5 rebounds per game, which makes him one of the top ten rebounders in the ProA league.

Giessen have a 10 and 6 record for the season, are currently in fifth position in the League Table and face lowly Karlsruhe this Saturday in a bid to climb further up the table.

Pops Mensah-Bonsu will be looking to impress as he goes on the road with Galatasaray in the second round of EuroLeague. Offensively the 6'9 power forward netted 7 points in Galatasaray's first round defeat to Maccabi Tel-Aviv (84-90) on January 2nd, but was stronger defensively - taking 9 rebounds off the boards. It doesn't get any easier for the Turkish side though when they face a daunting trip tonight to Real Madrid.